This invention relates to a zipper manipulating tool. More particularly, the invention relates to a tool which can be releasably attached to a zipper located on the back of a garment to help a user open and close the zipper.
Many people have trouble reaching and manipulating zippers located on the back of garments. When alone, it may not be possible for an individual to dress into or out of a garment that has a zipper on the back. Even if it is possible to reach the zipper, a dangerous amount of physical strain can be placed on the body caused by all the twisting and turning in the process of struggling to open or close the zipper. This struggle cannot only result in bodily injury, but also can damage the garment as a result of forcibly pulling the zipper. Thus, it is desirable to have a tool that can assist a user in the opening and closing of a zipper in a hard-to-reach location without requiring the twisting and turning of the user's body as would be necessary if the tool was not available.
In an attempt to solve the problems associated with the opening and closing of zippers, several references uncovered in the prior art have been proposed for assisting individuals who have a difficulty in manipulating a zipper. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,966 to Wheat discloses a tool to be used by an individual having extremely long fingernails for facilitating the manipulation of zippers as well as for facilitating the opening of beverage cans. While these units mentioned above may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.